


Old Habits Die Hard

by Knusperkeks



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: A/B/O, Alpha!Gabriel, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Omega Verse, Omega!Jack, Post-Fall of Overwatch, Pre-Fall of Overwatch, smut in later chapters
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-27
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-09-27 08:08:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,315
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9984476
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knusperkeks/pseuds/Knusperkeks
Summary: Before the fall of Overwatch, Jack had been off limits. No one was allowed to have Overwatchs golden boy. The dazzling commander, the Omega who had worked his way all the way to the top by sheer strength and will. The Omega with that sweet scent that would make Reyes want to lovingly embrace him and push him up against the wall at the same time. The Omega that had refused Reyes advances. But now as Soldier:76 he was right there for the taking.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Originally I had planned this fic to be a normal one, but then my finger slipped and it turned A/B/O.  
> I'm trapped in A/B/O hell someone send help!

 

 

 

Old habits die hard. John ‘Jack’ Morrison died so many years ago, yet his stubborn beliefs didn’t die with him. Soldier: 76 had learned that the hard way, whenever he just wanted to turn his back, there was this undying voice of reason in the back of his head, refusing to let him leave his old life behind for good. Because of it, he now lost his only lead to find Talon. Again. It wasn’t all bad, though. The thugs might have gotten away, but he managed to safe the little girl and made sure she got home. She wasn’t involved in any of this and didn’t deserve to be punished for being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Unlike him, she had a bright future ahead of her and Jack had made sure she got the chance to see it.

There was one downside. His jacket had suffered severely from the explosion. Jack couldn’t stop a sigh from leaving his lips at the thought of having to repair it yet again. He got way too good with sewing things that weren’t wounds lately. This whole vigilante life always seemed so easy in the movies, but reality was a different thing entirely. Taking on mercenary jobs was the only way to earn money without turning to robbery, which just wasn’t compatible with the ever present moral talks of the deceased Jack in his head. Some days, he couldn’t afford food or a room to sleep in, which forced him to sleep in the streets or abandoned houses. It was even harder to come by everything needed to repair his weapons and armor, with his Pulse Rifle and visor among the most advanced weapons and equipment Overwatch had to offer.

Unfortunately, all that paled in comparison to the one thing he really needed but couldn’t reach: heat suppressants. Jack took off his visor and rubbed the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. It had gotten harder and harder to find a safe spot to ride out his heats in the past years. With all his efforts to hunt down Talon it was only logical that they were after him as well. One thing he did manage was to make sure they didn’t learn of him being an Omega, which was a success in itself. Most of their agents were Betas, not able to pick up his scent with the way Jack always covered himself in as many different scents as possible to throw them off. Even if they had, he made sure that none of them got away anyways. Jack had also managed to get his hands on some scent inhibitors during one of his contracts. These pills were universal and even if they weren’t as concentrated as he needed them to be, they were still helpful and he made sure to make every single one of them count. They obviously were limited in number and as long as he wouldn’t find another bottle, he couldn’t take them regularly.

Heat suppressants had always been prescription only, since they had to be tuned specifically to the body of the Omega, so it wasn’t like Jack could just waltz into a pharmacy and pick some up. He was supposed to be dead, after all.

During his musing the sun had set over Dorado. He was still on the rooftop where he had watched the girl disappear into her house, back to her mother. The city was now illuminated only by the lamps lining the streets, making Jack invisible for anyone walking below. Jack took this rare moment of calmness to just stand and enjoy the breeze on his face. The guys he had followed for days had retreated and probably took everything with them that could lead him closer to Talon. But even if there was no way of finding them at the moment, he couldn’t lose track. Couldn’t take off a couple of days and let the trail run cold.

One downside of Dorado was definitely the heat. A small drop of sweat made its way from Jacks hairline down to his cheek. It didn’t matter how advanced a soldier he was, after a fight the heat got to him. Opening the zipper of his jacket, Jack cringed at the way his black shirt stuck to his body. Maybe he had to rethink wearing a leather jacket in this weather. He fanned the sides of his jacket, trying to cool his body, shivering when the wind hit his damp shirt.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Incompetent idiots. All of them.

Reaper had to fight the urge to strangle everyone in the room, reminding himself that the agents around weren’t responsible for the latest fuck up, but then again they weren’t that competent either and would only be missed for their numbers. The one man responsible was standing a few meters away, visibly shaking since he was facing the Reaper himself. He obviously hadn’t expected to report to the boss himself, or maybe he had and just had gotten the short end of the stick, for none of his companions were anywhere near. Instead of strangling anyone, Reaper released some of his anger by punching the wall next to him, causing the man to jump and shake visibly when he saw the hole that had been made by the force. The unmistakable scent of a powerful alpha started to flood the room, making the beta man cringe even more.

“So tell me again,” Reapers thundering voice was laced with venom, “how you managed to fuck up something as simple as a delivery.”

“I…We…Uhm…” The man chocked, not able to form the words as they caught in his throat, held back by pure fear.

“ _NOW!_ ”

“Yes, yes, uhm… We were… uhm… We had everything loaded, but this guy, he came out of nowhere! He shot us down! We barely managed to escape him, when he focused on rescuing that girl. We just took off to secure the remaining cargo…” He stumbled over his words, his heart picking up speed with every step the Reaper took towards him.

“And where is this remaining cargo, exactly?” Reaper stood fully facing the shivering excuse of a man in front of him, his scent now completely engulfing the beta.

He took a deep breath, his eyes transfixed on the glooming mask. “It got loose during our escape…and… fell in the river.” The Reaper let out a bellowing laugh and even the Talon agents in the room jerked slightly. While slowly clapping his hands, he turned away from the shivering man, who tried desperately to save his life. “I’m sorry…uh, sir, I’m sure we can recover it or get a new one, or – ”

“No one’s talking to you, _pendejo_.” Whipping up a shotgun out of nowhere, the Reaper relieved the man of half his face, before letting the shotgun clatter to the ground. The agents around didn’t even bat an eye as the man’s lifeless body slumped to the floor. Reaper walked over to the desk littered with papers that crumpled under his weight when he leaned on them with his balled fists.

“You should really choose better who you work with.” Quiet throughout the ordeal, Sombra sat in a corner, tending to her nails and equipment. She was the only one brave enough to speak up. Not that she needed to fear anything from him. “If you ask me, you should really deal with that self-righteous idiot before trying to get your hands on such rare stuff again. I can go if you want.” Pushing herself up from the chair, she walked over to the desk, only to sit down on its edge.

“No, I will deal with him myself. I trusted others too long to take care of him. Now I will finish it.” His thundering voice had never affected her, so she simply shrugged.

“Fine by me. I have other things to take care of anyways.” With that she popped a bubblegum she had unwrapped into her mouth and started to make her way out of the room. Before exiting she turned around one last time. “I heard he was pretty hot. So don’t chew him up too much.” She blew Reaper a kiss before exiting. He only let out a low growl.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The sun had set and the Reaper merged with the shadows as he made his way to the spot where they had last seen this so called vigilante. It was time to put an end to this once and for all. The place was easily found, with the smell of an explosion still hanging in the air, and the even more obvious bullet holes scattered across the surrounding buildings.

When the Reaper had still been Gabriel Reyes, he had been one of the most powerful alphas Overwatch had to offer. The ones better than him soon lost when they took on desk jobs and started rotting away, buried among files. They lost their edge, with Reyes becoming more and more dominant with each passing fight. Even without Blackwatch he had been the most feared within the organization. Being reborn as the Reaper made him even better. Everything about him was enhanced: he was quicker, stronger, his sense of smell more tuned. He was able to overpower everyone only by his aura and smell. But where is the fun in that? Betas can easily be intimidated by show of force alone, while some alphas did needed a show of the pure power the Reaper radiated to accept their own incapability.

Among the different smells of the betas they had hired, was one smell that stood out. It was very faint, a beta or even a normal alpha wouldn’t have been able to pick up on it, but the enhanced senses of the Reaper allowed him to follow the smell through the street and over the rooftops. The smell was oddly familiar, yet he could not place it. It was too faint to really get a taste of it. He stepped out on to a balcony that allowed a good view over the surrounding buildings, his eyes instantly picking up a small movement a few rooftops further east. Reaper immediately crossed the distance by shadow-stepping, but ducked behind a corner to observe his prey first.

The man that had ruined many of their missions stood only a few feet away, with his back to the Reaper, deep in thought and just waiting to be killed. How a man this careless could have survived against Talon for this long was beyond him. It further proved the sheer incompetence of everyone working for him. The vigilante had even taken off his visor, which now lay discarded next to his weapon while he simply stared at the sky. Too easy, Reaper thought while slowly moving out of cover with cat like grace. He was only able to make two steps before he was stopped dead in his tracks by the smell that hit him. Having opened his jacket, the man was now fanning himself for air with his jacket, spreading his alluring scent. Reaper was only able to duck back into the shadow he had come from, before he pressed his back against the wall while the scent washed over him. The scent pulled at his brain, trying to force back the memories connected to it.

 

_A running shower…_

_A cafeteria filled with soldiers…_

Reaper shook his head, wanting to remember the scent yet not caring for the other memories.

_Someone striking him across the face – blood dripping down his chin…_

_His muscles straining in protest yet his limbs unable to move…_

No! **NO!** His chest heaved, his lungs desperately trying to pump in oxygen for his brain was more focused on the memories than breathing.

_Standing in line, an officer yelling at him…_

_His knuckles bloody and ripped… A man before him on the ground…_

_A ray of sunshine… He blinked…_

_Sunshine hitting blonde hair… Someone smiling at him…_

_He awoke from a nap. He tried to blink awake but the too bright sun blinded as it hit fair hair, coming towards him. His eyes adjusted, fixating on the man approaching him. The man was smiling brightly. He wore a grey shirt, shorts and a white towel around his neck. The shirt was soaked with sweat, turning it a darker color and making it stick to the man’s skin and accentuating his well-toned body. “Hey Gabe, what are you dreaming about?” The man sunk down next to him, letting his head fall down on Reyes outstretched legs. The strong scent of the other hit him right in the face…_

_Jack._

 

 

The memory broke, throwing Reaper back into reality. His claws had duck into the wall behind him, small pieces of concrete silently falling to the ground. Pushing himself off the wall, he looked around the rooftop for the vigilante, who had turned around, facing his direction. Having closed his jacket, the white haired man leaned down to retrieve the gear he had discarded on the floor. When he stood back up, a ray of moonlight hit his face, making his white hair shimmer and his blue eyes burn. There was no mistaking it; the vigilante was Jack Morrison, back from the dead. Even with the jacket closed his alluring smell wafted through the air, beckoning the Reaper in, who used all his willpower to stay still. This was what he had been waiting for all these years…

Before the fall of Overwatch, Jack had been off limits. No one was allowed to have Overwatchs golden boy. The dazzling commander, the Omega who had worked his way all the way to the top by sheer strength and will. The omega with that sweet scent that would make Reyes want to lovingly embrace him and push him up against the wall at the same time. The omega that had refused Reyes advances. But now as Soldier:76 he was right there for the taking. The man had slipped through his fingers before, but this time, Reaper would make sure to claim him. All these years, filled with longing for the man. How often he had tried to win him over with charms, or make him weak with his alpha presence. He would continue right where he left off.

Old habits die hard.

 

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I never expected this much positive feedback! I can't thank you all enough! ♥  
> Special thanks to FlockOfReyes for being my beta!

 

 

 

They say it gets easier.

That’s a lie.

Pretending to be someone you’re not never gets easier.

Especially as an omega. Jack had known from the start that the path he had chosen wasn’t meant for him. Not for a simple farm boy from Indiana and especially not with the way he was born. Facts stated that the physical attributes of omegas didn’t allow them to live a fully independent life, with their need for protection during their heats and submissive minds. It certainly didn’t help that alphas occupied every position of power, making it especially hard for any omega who tried to break through the system. Jack didn’t care for those facts. He would never accept that his supposed fate was to spend the rest of his life crushed under the boot of some alpha or beta.

He had two older sisters, one a beta, the other omega as well. In contrast to him she liked being born this way. Jack couldn’t blame her; life was easier for female omegas after all. Everyone always flocked around her, trying to win her affections. She enjoyed every second, knowing she would have the choice and held the real power, even if all the alphas thought differently. It used to make him frown when he was little, watching his sister wrap everyone around her finger. Growing up and gaining the ability to analyze her movements and patterns taught him about the one advantage omegas possessed: the ability to easily manipulate alphas. Betas too of course, but it were always the easiest with alphas, with their mind too clouded by their own prowess to notice anything.

A smile to show attraction, keeping your eyes low in seduction and, most important of all, leaning the head to the side as a sign of submission. The mixture of these aspects would drive everyone crazy, his sister told him laughing one night she came home drunk on alcohol and joy. But it had never been this easy for him. Omegas were rare, male ones even more so. To some people they were abominations, freaks of nature with no purpose since they went into heats but weren’t even able to conceive. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that because of that, male omegas became really popular for everyone with … special needs.

As Jack grew up, the view on omegas changed. They were given more opportunities with the advance in development of heat suppressants and scent inhibitors. These pills were the chance Jack needed. With them he was able to secure a place within the army, after having proven that his body was fully capable of completing every course they could think of. He aced his way through training, coming in first every single time, exceeding even the best alphas. It was on the day of him graduation from training into active service, when a stern looking man in a blue suit approached him. The man told him about the SEP, a secret program meant to form the perfect soldier. Jacks outstanding records had gotten their attention and so they wanted to offer him this once in a lifetime opportunity. Even if he just wanted to accept, he couldn’t help but voice his concerns with his status as omega. The agent assured him that it wouldn’t be an issue with the authorities. As for the other participants in the program, they would give Jack stronger scent inhibitors. The pills he used at the moment did their job, but he would need stronger ones to make his way among numerous alphas. Jack took the opportunity.

 

Besides heat suppressants and scent inhibitors, Jack really wished they would invent something to tune out smells. Standing in line at the initiation into the SEP, everything _reeked_ of alpha. They all wanted to overpower each other and make sure who was on top before the whole program even started. Usually Jack pitied them for their natural need to dominate everything in sight, but right now it was just damn annoying as he had to concentrate extra hard on listening to the speech given by the director, with his omega nature telling him to ignore it and seek out the strongest of the alphas to rub against. That thought was as appalling to Jack as it was inviting, but he hadn’t gotten this far just for better a shot at meeting a powerful alpha. No, he was here because he wanted to beat his nature and show what omegas could be capable of. So he willed himself to stand tall, radiating dominance by his body alone.

“Remember,” the director’s voice cut through the air like a knife, nearing the end of his speech, “every-one of you will be rated individually. We do not want to discourage fraternization as it is an important trait for soldiers, but a healthy competition will make sure to maximize your results. Your section commander will now guide you through the facility. Welcome to the SEP, soldiers.” With that the director turned and exited the platform he had been standing on. A small group of men and women that seemed to be the section commanders split up and joined with their respective unit.

Jack was standing among a group of 20 men that would be his unit during his stay here. Men and women had been separated, as they reacted differently to the procedure and had to be trained with individual methods. Or so they say. Maybe it was just because they wanted to minimize any sexual interaction – which was kinda funny since in only the short time Jack had been here, he had already observed a woman fiercely check out another girl in her unit.

A man by the name of Doherty introduced himself as their commander. He seemed to be in his forties, with short brown hair and a full beard that already showed some grey strands. “I will act as your guide in this program, so should you have any questions come to me. I want to make it perfectly clear that I will not be responsible for any kind of misbehavior, so if any of you act against the rules there will be hell to pay for you and everyone involved. Here, no one of you is special so don’t act like it. I know you’re all used to being the best, but you will soon notice that things are different here, which means I don’t wanna see any of that dominant alpha bullshit in my unit, got that?”

“Yes, sir,” was the united answer.

“Good. Now I’ll show you around the base and to your rooms. Follow me.”

The group slowly broke out of their formation and started trailing behind their commander. Doherty showed them the training facility, which was a huge metal dome, separated into different sections. It was  
equipped with every kind of training gear imaginable, as well as pool and outdoor area with a parkour course. Next stop was some kind of dining room, where they would be given their meals as well as instructions for the day. Right next door was a large room filled with pool tables, darts, card games and all kind of things to fill their free time.

“Don’t be mistaken, you won’t be able to visit this room anytime soon,” Doherty said in a tone equally amused and serious. “In your first few months here you’ll be lucky if you even make it to your bed.”

On the faces of some of the men appeared a small frown, though no one voiced any sort of doubt, with them all being too occupied to maintain their perfect alpha appearance. It seemed Doherty had just been waiting for any of them to say something because he just stood in the door frame for a few seconds, studying them before moving on.

A shiver ran down Jack’s spine as they were shown the medical facility, where they would be given the enhancement serum. The long corridor was lined with several room filled with enhanced technical equipment, patient chairs with straps and shelves filled with glass bottles holding brightly colored liquids along each wall. A large number of men and women in white coats hurried around the place, preparing everything for the new arrivals. The recruit closest to Jack was obviously relieved when they left the facility and started heading towards their rooms.

The halls got more crowded as they got closer to the living quarters, with several other new units arriving with their commanders as well as older units making their way around the base. Not being able to shut off his omega way of always analyzing his surroundings and people for potential threats, Jack examined everyone passing by them out of the corner of his eyes. The older recruits had a completely different aura around them, not exactly arrogance, but determination and… Jack searched his brain for the right word, causing him to lose focus for a few seconds and make him run straight into someone.

Jack’s head whipped up to see who he had run into. He was standing almost chest to chest with a man just slightly taller than he was. He had a buzz cut and a perfectly trimmed beard that framed his lips. What caught Jack’s attention the most was the man’s build. The guys seemed to only consist of solid muscle, every bulge made perfectly visible by the thin white shirt he wore that was barely able to contain his glory. Jack’s eyes slowly trailed up his torso, back to his face, to find the man staring back at him – and he seemed _pissed_.

“Watch where you’re going, rookie,” he grumbled lowly, edging on threatening. Jack opened his mouth to answer, his eyes still fixed on the other man’s.

“Morrison!” Doherty and his unit were standing a slight distance away, obviously waiting on him. His commanders’ call snapping Jack out of his stupor with the command to follow that was included in his name.

“Yes, sir!” Jack called, though he wasn’t sure if he was answering Doherty or the man in front of him. As Jack turned and started making his way to his group, he heard another low growl coming from him. Jack felt his omega instincts rile up at this show of dominance combined with the man’s body and posture. Fighting his inner turmoil, Jack crossed the distance to Doherty in a few strides, while the man and his group resumed walking. Doherty motioned his unit to continue towards the living quarters, while he fell in beside Jack.

“You shouldn’t make enemies on your first day, Morrison.” He spoke in a hushed and serious voice. “Most of all, not with _him_.”

Jack couldn’t stop the look of surprise and confusion that crossed his face. While Doherty started walking faster again to get ahead of the group, Jack turned around one last time to look at the retreating back of the unknown man. _Good job, Morrison_ , Jack thought bitterly, as he watched the wall of muscle slowly disappear behind a corner.

 

 

* * *

 

  

It was almost embarrassing how easy Jack could be followed. Although it would have been difficult for a normal agent, Reaper was always a step ahead. No matter how many years had passed, Jack still used all the old patterns. Reaper had watched him disappear in an abandoned house on the edge of the city, where he had made a small camp with the few belongings he had. Shadow stepping through a hole in the roof gave Reaper the perfect hiding spot to watch his prey. Once inside, Jack had relieved himself of his weapons and visor, which he carefully placed on the table in the middle of the room. His jacket soon followed before he flopped down on the chair near the table, running a hand through his hair.

The sweet scent that Reaper had craved for years and sometimes even missed the longer it had been gone spread through the room. He took a moment to close his eyes and simply revel in the scent, letting all the memories flood back into his head. Though all these years had made him forget which of those had been real and which had only been in his head from all the sleepless nights the blond man had caused him.

Downstairs, Jack was downing a bottle of water before settling down for the night on an old mattress that looked like it had been run over by a tank, then dumped into a swamp and had someone vomit on it for good measure. Reapers instincts pulled at his insights, telling him to go down there and claim what should have been his years ago.

No.

Going down there now would ruin everything. This had to be timed perfectly in order for this to work out as he wanted. This time, there was no room for failure. Allowing himself a few more moments to watch Jack settle down as comfortable as possible and fall asleep, Reaper felt something akin to pleasure rise up in his chest at what was to come, before taking his leave.

On the ground floor, Soldier:76 startled awake at the sound of the floorboards above creaking. He immediately grabbed the pistol still bedded in the holster on his leg, listening for another sound. After none followed, he slowly began to settle down again. Ever since he left the rooftop he had felt a haunting presence in the back of his head. Using a lot of his tricks, he had tried to shake it off on his way back to the house. He even ducked behind a corner, waiting for someone to show up. No one came and he figured it was just another sign of his paranoia.

He wouldn’t have survived this long without a fair amount of it, causing him to be even more careful than might be necessary. Now that the presence had suddenly vanished, he felt relieved, but was also unnerved. Had he really been followed? There was another feeling, battling the others inside him. It felt almost like…disappointment. Jack covered his face with his hand. That didn’t make sense at all, why would he feel disappointed about this?

There was no time to think about it. He needed to catch up on some much needed sleep, with the trail to Talon running colder by the second he couldn’t waste time. The presence he had felt being yet another warning sign, telling him to move on as fast as he could. Plus, there was the biggest issue of all: his heat was coming up. Jack couldn’t say for sure when the time would come, as he sometimes lost track of time during a mission and was unable to say how long he had left. It could be weeks, it could be days. Only the strange, tense feeling in his stomach being a clear indication it was coming. God, how he missed his suppressants.

He rolled onto his side, trying to get comfortable again when the awful smell of the mattress reached his nose and he immediately turned onto his back. Jack let out a groan, and god, how he missed a nice bed!

 

 

* * *

 

  

The door flew open, crashing into the wall behind it. Widowmaker and Sombra jerked slightly, Amélie glaring at Reaper as he stomped into the room.

“Geez, what got your panties in a knot?” Sombra picked the paper that she had dropped because of his entrance back up. “Loverboy beat your ass?”

“He’s not—” He whipped around, stopping what he wanted to say as he saw her crooked smirk. “Change of plans,” he added simply before turning around briskly and walking over to the desk in the middle of the room. The desk was littered with weapon plans and locations on rare materials they needed to gather in order to build them. Talon was in serious need of a change of equipment.

Amélie made her way over to him, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “You didn’t kill him? Why?” Her tone revealed that she was furious and trying to cover it under a mask of indifference. Badly.

Reaper turned to the other alpha, her scent slowly spreading, making it clear she was ready to fight. “Like I said – change of plans.” He walked up to her, mirroring her stance.

“Since when did you get to decide everything around here? That guy has been a pain in the ass for months, he screwed up some of our most important deals and you just let him walk?”

He was getting tired of people questioning him and his decision. No one here got anything done before he took over and suddenly they all knew better. “Because I’m the guy with the plan.” A growl was underlining his words.

“Yeah, because that worked out so well the last time.”

“It’s not my fault these idiots were too incompetent to get crates from point A to point B.”

“Of course it is! You—”

“Come on, calm down you two,” Sombra stepped in. “You know the kids don’t like it when mommy and daddy are fighting.” Though she may be a beta, she never hesitated to step between the two alphas for damage control. Much needed damage control.

Widowmaker growled at both of them before turning, her heels clicking on the floor as she returned to the couch.

“So, big boss man, tell us your ingenious plan.” Sombra folded her hands and smiled equal parts nice and mocking. Reaper wondered sometimes why he even bothered with her.

“He won’t be a problem. I’ll make sure of it,” he simply provided.

“Thank god we have you!” Amélie couldn’t control her outburst.

“Ah, ah, ah!” Sombra chided her, but turned an unimpressed look at him. “She’s right, though. How will you make sure of that if you don’t wanna kill him?”

“Don’t worry, I have my ways.” The mask hid the smirk spreading over his face. Reaper turned away from the girls and towards the papers as Sombra rolled her eyes and Widow ripped the cushion of the couch in annoyance.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

The next day, Jack woke up with his body hurting in places he didn’t even know were possible; his upcoming heat already starting to make him way too sensitive. He let out a long groan and stretched out, snapping a few joints back into place. His body felt like it hadn’t got any rest at all, despite the unusually high number of hours he had slept. The day itself was already nearing its end, with the hours turning late and sun hanging low in the sky. This whole ‘sleep in the day, work in the night’-rhythm was starting to get to him. Letting out a long grumble, his stomach focused his attention on his primal need for food. Since there was no point in trying to ignore it, as he had way too often before and almost got himself killed because of it at least two times, Jack got up and made his way over to his few belongings that littered the desk. He left the jacket, since he couldn’t exactly waltz down the streets with Soldier:76 being wanted, but grabbed the black cap.

The pockets of his cargo pants contained all the essential items he always kept close to him. There was some money left from one particularly difficult and well paid bounty, but he had to be thrifty nonetheless, for he didn’t have another contract at the moment and couldn’t say when the next pay would come. Besides money, he also held a small knife as well as a set of lock-picks close to his person, but most important were the scent inhibitors. There weren’t that many left, but with his heat coming they were a must if he wanted to make in anywhere, so he plopped one out of the package onto his hand and swallowed it dry. Maybe he should buy some in the local pharmacy, but that would use up most of his money and Jack wasn’t sure if he could afford that. He really needed to wrap his search for Talon up quick. Taking off the holster, the gun went into the back of his pants, shielded from sight by his shirt. Dressed in his grey cargo pants, black shirt and black cap along with sunglasses, Jack stepped out into the afternoon heat, heading for the small market on the edge of town. Now he looked like a tourist.

The market was thankfully not crowded, with many people already headed home. Always feeling on edge when he was out in the open and separated from his equipment, Jack rushed to find everything he needed, before heading back to his hide-out. The sun had almost set and the shadows grew longer with each passing minute. Jack checked every little alley he passed, let his eyes over the windows and rooftops out of habit. Just before he rounded the street corner that led to his abandoned house the presence he had felt the day before returned. His back hit the wall on instinct, his right hand reaching the hidden gun. A glance around the corner revealed the street to be empty, not even a bird or rat in sight.

The shadows around him grew darker, but there was one that stood out, right in the alley across the street. It was even darker than the other, with a deep black while the others were only grey with the few remaining strands of light still lingering. A shiver ran down his spine as he stared into the darkness, trying to make out a shape. He was snapped out of his reverie only a few seconds later by the loud bang of a car crash on a parallel road. Men started fiercely yelling at each other and cars honked. In these few seconds his feet had already carried him out of the alley and into the middle of the street, being pulled towards the shadow by a force that teared at his insides in pure longing. Jack viciously shook his head, physically trying to clear his head from the presence.

Panic started to rise up in his chest. Without thinking, he broke into a run back to his hideout. Smashing the door closed behind him, he leaned against it, breathing heavily while he could feel the blood rushing through his veins. The army had trained him to handle stressful situations and how to effectively calm down his body, but all these methods had absolutely no effect right now. Jack couldn’t think clearly anymore. With more force than necessary he pushed himself off the door and gathered everything he had left behind as fast as he could. Everything was exactly as he had left it – that at least was a relief.

Jack put on his jacket and the holster. The visor clicked into place, the program starting back up and highlighting every bit of movement in his field of vision. A mouse vanished behind wood as small particles of concrete fell of the ceiling. After shouldering his Pulse Rifle, Jack felt whole again. Secure. At least, as secure as he could feel with the still lingering panic deep in his stomach. Grabbing the small bag with food he had gotten on the market, he activated his visor before stepping out of the door. When no immediate threat presented itself, Jack vanished into the night.

Hidden among the shadows of the alley, Reaper let out a low laugh. Jack was getting careless. He pulled a small device out of his coat, the small screen blinking to life. On it, a small green dot was moving away from his position. It seemed that Jack had been so tremendously unsettled, he hadn’t even noticed the obvious smell that had still lingered in the abandoned house, caused by Reapers presence only a short while ago. Placing a transmitter on Jack was easy, with him never leaving that ridiculous jacket behind except for those few short moments. With the holes from his latest fight the transmitter could be placed right into the stuffing, making it impossible to find if one didn’t know it was there.

Now the real game began.

 

* * *

 

 

 

Jack was absolutely positive that he would never again in his life sleep as horrible as he had that first night in the program. He rolled over, slowly inching forward until his forehead hit the wall next to his bed. After having spent several years in the army Jack was used to sharing a room. He was also used to snoring companions. But nothing could have prepared him for Jake Thomson. Was that guy even able to breathe?! Jack buried his head under his pillow, hoping that it would tune down the noise – but to no avail. Maybe he should take his pillow und burry Thomson under it, maybe that would lessen the noise. A groan escaped Jack’s lips at the realization that he would simply have to get used to it, although that may take some time. A long time. A long, sleepless time.

Each bedroom designed for the recruits had room for three people. Next to the obnoxiously loud Thomson, Jack shared the room with Adam Walker, a strong silent type it seemed, that obviously didn’t share Jack’s problems with the noise. They had only shortly introduced themselves to one another before Doherty ushered everyone to their rooms, advising to regain as much strength as possible for what lay ahead. The uncertainty of what lay ahead exactly was the second thing keeping Jack awake. The medical wing had been an unsettling sight, his stomach twisting into a knot upon imagining the bright liquid being pumped into his veins.

A loud beeping noise ripped Jack out of his thoughts. The automated sound went off in every room on the floor, signaling the start of their first day of training. Walker stirred instantly, being up only a few seconds later and heading for the small bathroom connected to their room. While Thomson was still sleeping soundly, Jack tried to enjoy the last moments of peace.

Five minutes later Walker came out of the bathroom. He poked Jack lightly in the shoulder, “Your turn, Morrison,” before crossing the room and actually shaking Thomson. “For god’s sake, you’re even louder than the alarm!” Thomson only let out a sleepy sigh.

Just before leaving for breakfast, Jack pulled out his scent inhibitors and downed one, making sure the other two didn’t see it. They made their way to the cafeteria, and as it turned out, Thomson was actually nice to be around when he was awake. Only idle small talk passed between them, as they all were too on edge about what the day would bring. Jack was so consumed by his thoughts he didn’t even realize what he ate, with his comrades on the table mirroring his silence. Most of the new recruits sat in silence, while the smaller groups of the units from the years before them chatted friendly amongst themselves. Once he had finished eating, Jack looked around the room, subconsciously searching the crowd for the guy he had run into the day before. His eyes swept over the faces in the back of the room, where the older recruits were seated, but came up empty. Only a second later Doherty stepped into his line of sight.

Standing at the edge of the table, he greeted his unit. “I hope you all have slept well and are ready for your evaluation. I know, you all already went through one or you wouldn’t be here, but we have to evaluate your physical levels before we can start with the medical procedure.”

One of the men on the table, a slightly smaller build man with red hair by the name of Samuel Collins spoke up. “Excuse me, sir, what do these evaluations consist of?”

Doherty’s eyes fixed on the man, “Mostly physical exercise as well as a few hours on the shooting range. All of your weapons of choice have been brought over, as we want you to operate on maximum levels. Now follow me.”

A large group of doctors with white coats and holo-screens was already waiting for them in the training area. They doctors split in teams of two and hurried to join the different units. The first tasks they let them take on were basic, wanting to get results on how much each of them can lift, how fast they can run and how long their stamina lasted. Next up was sparring, and everyone’s faces lit up and the announcement.

The broadly build Walker, an obvious alpha, was paired up with the much leaner Collins, a beta that showed no sign of restraint as he stepped onto the mat. They all watched in amusement as Walker, who had been the obvious bet for the winner, was owned by Collins, who won by using the momentum and Walkers own strength against him. Their unit cheered him on as he bounced on his feet around the defeated Walker. Next up were two alphas that clearly didn’t want the same thing happen to them, as they fought brutally to come out on top. Their scent began to cloak the entire room as they not only battled with their bodies but also with their presence. Covering his nose with his shirt, Jack cursed his fine tunes senses, making the scent even more prominent for him. The fight got so heated, Doherty had to break it up or they would have risked more than minor injuries. The commander ordered both of them to the side before speaking quietly with a doctor.

Jack himself was also paired with an alpha, but he was perfectly controlled and emitted an aura of calmness around himself. His scent was strong, but not unpleasant. They nodded at each other and only a second later the man was on Jack, grabbing him by the waist and trying to force him down. Jack reacted by bracing his legs against the mat before kneeing the man in the stomach, causing him to stagger backwards. Not leaving the man a chance to catch his breath, Jack grabbed his arm, twisting it behind his back before kicking his legs out from under him. The alpha fell straight on his face, letting out a growl at being bested in this trivial way. With the new gained energy from his win, Jack watched the rest of the matches with a smile on his lips.

“I hope you all spent your pent up energy here to focus on the next task,” Doherty said pointedly, his gaze lingering on the two alphas that nearly beat each other bloody. “Last step for your evaluation is the shooting range.” He led the way, with the doctors falling in beside him.

Walker and Thomson appeared next to Jack, Thomson throwing an arm around him and giving him a big grin. “Nice performance, dude. Not as good as mine, of course, but way better than Walkers.” Thomson was a beta that just like the others here lacked the natural born respect for alphas.

The alpha flicked Thomson’s hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Just you wait, one day you will eat your words when I beat you into the next millennium.”

“Keep on dreaming, big guy. I could take you on anytime.”

Jack lightly elbowed Thomson in the side. “Yeah, with that snoring of yours you could literally beat anyone in your sleep.”

Thomson put a hand on his heart in mock horror and gasped. “How _dare you_ , Morrison?” They spent the rest of the way to the range joking about Thomson’s snoring and Walkers defeat, with Thomson desperately trying to find something on Jack he could make fun of.

“REYES!”

The whole unit halted immediately when Doherty screamed across the room. Ahead of them was the shooting range, a large room filled with high buildings and cover options, with training robots on every level. In the middle of it all stood the man Jack had run into. He was dressed in black training pants and a shirt that perfectly hugged every muscle on his upper body. Doherty’s scream was drowned out by the thundering sound of bullets tearing through the training bots, scattering them into little pieces. The man that obviously went by the name of Reyes was wielding two shotguns simultaneously, finishing off the last few of the robots before slowly turning to them.

While Reyes made his way over, Doherty continued. “The room is reserved for the new recruits. Find somewhere else to play.”

Reyes smirked at Doherty’s attempt to sound though. “As you wish, commander,” he said while placing his weapons back into their crate. His eyes swept over their group, Jack’s heart did a little jump when they lingered on him for a few seconds. Reyes pushed past them and out the door. “Pathetic.”

Doherty called them back to attention. “Everybody get your guns, we’re on a tight schedule.”

The unit moved over to the side, where an automated system delivered a large case, their weapons neatly stored within. Jack grabbed his beloved Pulse Rifle as soon as he laid eyes on it, Thomson letting out a low whistle. “That yours? Neat. A bit heavy for my taste, though.” He pulled out twin pistols, twirling them around his fingers before letting them glide into their holsters.

In their first exercise they had to shoot moving targets while standing on a fixed spot, the automated system calculating their score. The next step was a battle simulation, like the one Reyes had been in, but with fewer bots and lower difficulty. Knowing there would be bonus points for headshots, Jack put extra effort into his aim, managing to score the most points of his unit. His roommates walked up to him when Doherty announced the score.

Thomson punched Walker in the arm, “See Walker, that’s the way to win. You gotta visualize it, and then aim to kill.”

Walker rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Geez, man, just let it go will you?”

“You know I won’t.”

He stepped up to Thomson, crossing his arms on his broad chest. “Alright, how about we settle this once and for all? After dinner, we go back to the training room.”

Though he was much smaller, Thomson mirrored his stance. “Game on.” They stared each other down before he turned to Jack. “You’re coming too? We need a referee after all.”

Jack smiled brightly, “Definitely.”

The two of them barely gave Jack time to finish his dinner before they dragged him back to the training room, wanting to get there before other recruits got a similar idea. Jack flopped down onto the ground, leaning back against the wall closest to the mat while the other two were getting into position. As soon as Jack gave the starting signal, Walker dashed forward, grabbing Thomson before he could even blink and pressed him down, keeping his head in an arm lock.

Thomson flayed his arms, “No fair! I wasn’t prepared yet! I demand a rematch!”

Walker released him, “Win’s a win, but if you want to lose again, I’ll be happy to oblige.”

Both got back up into a fighting stance. This time, Thomson didn’t even wait for Jack’s signal, but rushed in as soon as his feet hit the ground again. Using Collins tactic of making up for missing power in speed and agility, Thomson emerged as the victor, causing Walker to use a rematch in return since they couldn’t leave it at a draw.

They didn’t leave it at three, they didn’t even leave it at five. While they were going at it for the whole remaining evening, Jack wandered over to the treadmills, keen on using the time for his own training. The hour grew late, and the training area slowly cleared out, with only a few others remaining.

“Yo, Morrison, we’re heading back. You coming?” Walker wiped the sweat from his forehead on his shirt.

“I’ll stay a few more minutes, you guys go on ahead.”

Thomson lightly clapped Jack on the elbow before leaving, “But don’t overdo it. See you later.”

It was long dark outside when Jack finished his training. He had completely lost track of time. The gym was completely empty except for him, so Jack hurried to the communal showers in the training area. He grabbed one of the towels provided by the SEP off the shelve and discarded his sweat soaked clothes on the nearest bench.

Fortunately, the shower too was empty. Jack took a shower at the far end, turning on the water. After all the years in the army where the showers had had two temperature settings – Antarctic lake or boiling geyser – it was a pleasant surprise when the water had the perfect temperature. The water pressure was higher than usual, slightly massaging the strained muscles in his back. Jack washed his hair, letting the water run down over the overheated skin on his face.

It was 20 minutes later when he finally turned off the water, thankful that it didn’t shut off automatically. He only used the towel to dry his hair, causing it to stick in different directions, before wrapping it around his hips and heading back to the dressing room. Just as he was about to round the corner, Reyes appeared out of nowhere. Jack tried to come to a halt, but his momentum in combination with his wet feet on wet tiles caused him to slip. Trying to regain his balance with the help of his arms did nothing to keep him from the inevitable fall. As he lost his footing completely, he felt a strong arm wrap around his waist, pulling him back up – against a chest made of solid muscle.

“ _Dios mio_ , I thought I told you – ” Reyes dark eyes met Jacks’.

Jack stared into his eyes, Reyes pupils dilating slightly as he took in Jack’s face. Heat shot up into Jack’s face as he noticed that Reyes too wore nothing more than a towel around his waist. Their bare chests were pressing against each other, drops of water running down Jack’s chest pooled everywhere they touched. Reyes hand on the small of his back felt way too hot, burning through his skin. Jack didn’t knew what to do with his hands, as the only place to lay them would be either Reyes chest or biceps, both places sounding extremely appealing to Jack’s head. The slightly taller man must have trained until recently, for his skin was warm and his sweat intensified his extremely strong alpha scent. Jacks omega nature longed to lean forward and ravel in the scent.

As strong as the longing was, it wasn’t Jack who moved first. Reyes leaned forward, his nose mere inches away from Jack’s neck, slowly trailing upwards until his nose was almost buried in his hair. Slowly pulling back, the left side of Reyes face was now shimmering with water dripped from Jack’s hair. Their eyes met again, Reyes searching his eyes for something.

Reyes brow folded together in confusion. “You… You’re not…”

Panic rose up in Jack’s chest. Could he… No, he took his scent inhibitors that morning, there was no way Reyes would be able to smell he was an omega. The other man was still searching his face for clues. Jack had to get out of there. Gathering every ounce of strength he had left, Jack pushed Reyes away from him, causing the other man to stumble until his back hit the wall behind him. His heart skipped a bit at the sight of the wet patch on Reyes chest, caused by their close proximity.

Not sparing the men another glance, Jack bolted from the room, throwing his clothes onto his still wet body and running back to his room. Ignoring the confused looks of his roommates he made straight for the bathroom, slamming the door behind him.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Talon’s trail, or the thugs they hired to be precise, led out of Dorado, following the road to an abandoned factory on a hill. Soldier:76 laughed at how cliché that was for a secret organization. He climbed a small cliff, trying to get a better view of the surroundings. Finding a vantage point, he activated his visor to catch any movement in the outer parts of the factory. Not a soul was in sight, not even a bird flying past. It seemed they were either hiding inside or not here at all anymore. Jack hoped it was the former; he couldn’t afford to lose the trail again. Not with the few time he had left before his heat. Until then, he needed a solid lead he could follow as soon as it was over.

He spent a few more minutes observing for any movement below. The courtyard was empty, only discarded boxes and broken down machines scattered everywhere. With a bright gleam, something caught his eye. Hidden among boxes was a car, one just like the one the thugs had escaped with. Jack grinned under his mask, a small feeling of relief spreading in his chest.

Just as he was about to make his way down, Jack felt the same haunting presence he had felt in the city return. He tightened his grip on his pulse rifle, whipping around on one knee, aiming his gun at the intruder. Jack hold his breath as he instantly felt the barrel of a shotgun pressed against his forehead.

Despite the warm weather, cold sweat ran down Jack’s back.

The Reaper let out a husky laugh and stared down at him.

“Hello, Jack.”

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not sure if it was obvious before, but I'm actually planning to work on both timelines at the same time. To bring a bit of light into why Jack refused Gabe before. I mean - who in their right mind would refuse _Gabe_? Anyways, hope you like it so far! :)

**Author's Note:**

> (I can also be found on [tumblr](http://tigerfussel.tumblr.com/)! )


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